Toledo Water Department leaders say water treatment is performing well

September 24, 2014 at 10:10 PM EST - Updated July 10 at 4:07 AM

TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Toledo Water Department leaders say the city's water treatment plant is performing well and quality is great.

Water Treatment Plant Administrator Andy McClure says thanks to the rainy and cloudy days Toledo has seen lately as well as the drop in temperatures, the lake's conditions have changed which has helped knock out the blue/green algae.

"There's still algae on the lake but the water temperature really doesn't support the blue/green algae anymore," said McClure. "So, there really is not as much of a concern as there are when the water's warmer. So, our treatment, we have been able to cut back a little bit on some of the chemicals and carbons."

McClure says the chemicals the treatment plant has been able to cut back on include chlorine and alum. He says there carbons are still being used at a fairly high level for taste and odor but that both chemicals are filtered out before they hit city taps.

Water Commissioner Tim Murphy says the department is applying for up to $8 million in state funding through the EPA to implement necessary barriers to protect from next year's algal bloom.

"We're going to put in additional carbon at both the water treatment facility which is a new project and then we're going to also put additional carbon at the low service pump station along with improving our potassium magnate feeders," said Murphy.

Murphy says they are taking samples of the water daily and testing for microcystins every other day now. The application for state funding is due by the end of September.